In Matthew 13:10, the disciples ask Jesus, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" What a question! It seems very appropriate that the question is included in the gospel of Matthew. This gospel could easily be called the "gospel of parables", because the book is FULL of them. Even in passages where Jesus is not giving a parable, the narrative often reads like a parable.
So that makes the question even more important. Why did he speak in parables? We should expect that the answer helps us to understand the words and works of Jesus, but also shed light on the overall theme of the gospel of Matthew, as well.
So that makes the question even more important. Why did he speak in parables? We should expect that the answer helps us to understand the words and works of Jesus, but also shed light on the overall theme of the gospel of Matthew, as well.
The first thing that Jesus responds with is, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given." On a first impression this sounds like he is saying, "I'll tell you the answer, but I'm not going to tell them the answer." Perhaps even the disciples thought this at first. But when Jesus continues (in verse 12), and then explains the parable (in verse 18), it quickly becomes apparent that there's more depth to these words.
So Jesus continues: "To the one who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." If a parable is a type of riddle, surely this kind of "proverbial" statement is just another kind of riddle!
So now we need to look at the wider context for this passage. When the apostles ask Jesus this question, he has just given a specific parable, and it's the "parable of the sower". The one with the seed scattered on the road, on rocky soil, and so on. Jesus starts explaining this parable by saying, "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart."
But this explanation is doing double duty; it applies to the parable, but also to the question of why Jesus speaks in parables in the first place! "From the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." So we see that the "parable of the sower" is, in a sense, a parable about parables. The parables themselves are "the word of the kingdom" that is sown liberally in the hearts of those that hear them.
So let's finally go to Jesus' answer (in verse 13): "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." Jesus speaks in parables in order to show who has been given understanding. As he says to his disciples, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." But they don't understand the parable... yet! They are blessed not because they have inherent wisdom or understanding, but because Jesus gives them the understanding of it. In this manner, the understanding they receive becomes a sign of their membership in the kingdom of God.
So now we need to look at the wider context for this passage. When the apostles ask Jesus this question, he has just given a specific parable, and it's the "parable of the sower". The one with the seed scattered on the road, on rocky soil, and so on. Jesus starts explaining this parable by saying, "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart."
But this explanation is doing double duty; it applies to the parable, but also to the question of why Jesus speaks in parables in the first place! "From the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." So we see that the "parable of the sower" is, in a sense, a parable about parables. The parables themselves are "the word of the kingdom" that is sown liberally in the hearts of those that hear them.
So let's finally go to Jesus' answer (in verse 13): "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." Jesus speaks in parables in order to show who has been given understanding. As he says to his disciples, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." But they don't understand the parable... yet! They are blessed not because they have inherent wisdom or understanding, but because Jesus gives them the understanding of it. In this manner, the understanding they receive becomes a sign of their membership in the kingdom of God.
This understanding became even more important, even more central, when Jesus left this earth. When he returned to where he came from, he did not leave us without a guide, but sent the Holy Spirit to give us this same understanding, into his parables, and more broadly into all of scripture. Just as the apostles sought out the meaning of this parable, so now our Father rewards those who "diligently seek him". As Paul says (in 1 Cor 2:12), "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God." We should earnestly seek out the understanding of the parables (and the other teachings) of Jesus, and of scripture in general, and confidently expect the Holy Spirit to abundantly bless us with a deeper understanding of our Father in heaven.
